At the same time, Google still holds close to 90% of the global search market.

There is a difference, but one that is closing fast. I have noticed it in my own behaviour. When I want a quick answer, I type into Google. When I want to see something, maybe a place, a product, a real experience, I open TikTok.

Search no longer means what it used to

Search used to be as simple as typing a question, scanning links, and choosing what to read.

Of course, that model still exists, but it is no longer the only one.

Today, search means:

• Watching a short video
• Listening to someone explain
• Seeing results in real time

On TikTok and Instagram, people go beyond looking for answers to looking for proof, context and experience.

This is a transition from information to demonstration.

Google still holds the system together

It is important to be clear that Google has not been replaced.

It is still the starting point for billions of queries every day. It indexes the web, organises information, and delivers results at speed. For anything detailed, including health, finance, and research, it is still the most reliable route.

Its strength is structure:

• Ranked sources
• Verified websites
• Depth and coverage

Even among younger users, Google is usually the final step, even when it is not the first.

Why TikTok is pulling people in

When it comes to search, TikTok works differently from Google, it does not present pages but people.

If I search for a restaurant, I do not get a list. I see someone walking into the space, showing the food, reacting in real time and that is surely what I want.

This is why usage is increasing. Nearly half of consumers now use TikTok for search-like behaviour, and younger users rely on it heavily for discovery.

Do not think it is replacing Google, it is more about answering a different need:

• “What does this actually look like?”
• “Is this worth it?”
• “What do people really think?”

TikTok answers those questions faster.

Speed vs depth

At the top of this is a simple trade-off.

TikTok is fast.

• Answers come quickly
• Content is easy to consume
• Little effort is required

Google is deep.

• More detailed information
• Wider range of sources
• Greater reliability

The difference is technical and behavioural. When I am in a hurry, I want clarity. When I need certainty, I want depth.

The trust problem

This is where the conversation becomes more serious.

Google’s results are built on ranking systems that prioritise established sources. TikTok relies on creators and engagement.

That changes how trust is formed.

On TikTok, a video can gain visibility because people interact with it, not because it has been verified. Engagement is not the same as accuracy.

However, many people still trust what they see there. Why? Because it feels human, direct and real.

Why people are changing their habits

The transition shows how people now prefer to learn.

Many users, especially younger ones, are moving towards:

• Visual explanations
• Personal experiences
• Quick, practical answers

Research shows that social platforms are now used as discovery tools at scale, particularly for lifestyle, products and local searches.

This is not about abandoning Google but splitting behaviour across platforms.

What this means for businesses

This change is already affecting how brands operate.

It is not enough to rank on Google these days, visibility now depends on:

• Appearing in short-form video
• Being explained by real people
• Showing, not just telling

Search has become fragmented. One platform no longer owns it.

A restaurant, for example, might still rely on Google for location and reviews. But discovery, the moment someone decides to visit, may now happen on TikTok.

Is this just a phase?

The data shows something more permanent.

Usage of TikTok for search is growing endlessly, and at the same time, Google comes first in overall search share.

This is not a replacement but a redistribution.

People are choosing platforms based on intent:

• Google for accuracy and detail
• TikTok for speed and experience

This is becoming consistent.

Where this leaves the user

We are no longer searching in one place. We move between platforms, usually without thinking about it. A question might start on TikTok, continue on Google, and end with a decision influenced by both.

That changes something fundamental. Search is no longer about finding information but about how that information is presented, who presents it, and how quickly it is understood.

So when doing your search, don’t focus on whether Google is losing, or TikTok is winning. When you need an answer today, focus on whether you trust what is fastest or what is most complete.

Each brought their own degree of uncertainty – and each time,  people turned to Google to seek out information and help them make decisions.

We’re once again seeing search trends that show people are feeling unsure about the world around them.

Fortunately, a lot has changed in the past fifteen years that can help. In 2007, only 20% of the world’s population had internet access.

Today, 38% of Nigerians and 60% of the world are online: with all the information, skills and support that technology can provide.

Technology cannot solve all of the concern and anxiety that these trends show – but it can be used to help.

Here are some Search trends we’ve seen in Nigeria this year  and how technology and business can and should intervene:

1. Concerns about covid and the climate aren’t going anywhere

As economies re-open, it could be tempting to think that the uncertainty of the pandemic is behind us. Search interest in coronavirus hit an all-time high worldwide in March 2020 – but it is far from leaving people’s concerns entirely, as searches have changed to reflect new phases of the pandemic.

In Nigeria, in the past 90 days, searches for “difference between covid and flu” and “symptoms of coronavirus” doubled (+100%), while searches for “causes of coronavirus” went up by 90%.  Google will continue to provide accurate and timely information on everything from symptoms to vaccines as people strive to return to everyday life.

Additionally, Search trends show that apprehension about the climate crisis has continued to grow. Search interest in climate change reached the highest level of the past decade in April 2022 in Nigeria, while searches for other environmental issues including “climate change”, “pollution” and “global warming” reached an all-time high in April 2022. 

Given these concerns, businesses need to both help customers make small, meaningful changes and to walk the walk themselves, reducing emissions and cutting their footprint. 

Creating technology to help achieve this is a key part of our role. Google  wants to help 1 billion people make more sustainable choices by the end of this year and is  making changes to our most popular products to help make sustainable decisions easier. Our eco-friendly routing for example, which recently launched in Germany, will help users cut their bills and emissions by providing them with the most fuel-efficient and quickest route, and this change alone could save 1 million tonnes of carbon emissions a year.

2. Cybersecurity and privacy online have never been more important

With more people using the internet to manage their daily lives than ever, it’s no surprise that there has been an increase in  searches about cybersecurity and privacy.

Nigerian searches for “what is phishing” increased by 40%, while searches for “phishing attack” increased by 50%. Additionally, search interest in Privacy increased 30% in Nigeria compared to this time last year, and searches for Private browsing went up by 60% versus this time last year.

People want to embrace technology – but they want to know that their personal information will be safe. To help with that, Google has built many of the internet’s first tools to manage confidential data – like the Privacy Checkup, a central place which allows you to review your key privacy settings, and Takeout – where you can download or delete your Google data.

We are also working with the industry and regulators to make changes across the board – prioritising users’ privacy and security.

3. People want to understand the wider economic uncertainty – and are keen to save

As our CEO, Sundar Pichai, said recently, we face “an uncertain global economic outlook”. Search trends show that people want to better understand what’s happening and how they can manage it. 

Searches for “how to make money” have been the top “how to make” search in Nigeria in 2022, while searches for “how to save” increased by 20% . Searches for “how to start a business” dropped in Nigeria this year.

We’ve seen this before. During the pandemic, businesses that adopted new digital skills built ‘a digital safety net’. Working in partnership with governments and other organisations, Google has  helped 10 million people to find jobs, digitise and grow across the region – and we stand ready to support again now.

These trends show people feel uncertain about what lies ahead, but no matter where we head, I’m hopeful that technology will form a part of the solution.

Our mission at Google to make information accessible and useful has never been more important: and we’re here to help.

Nigeria:

• In the last 90 days, “covid-19 household loan application form” almost trippled (+180%); “difference between covid and flu” and “symptoms of coronavirus” doubled (+100%); “causes of coronavirus” went up by 90%, “coronavirus history” increased by 70% and “signs of covid” rose by 40%
• There is no search interest in climate anxiety or eco anxiety in Nigeria. However: Search interest in climate change reached the highest level of the past decade in April 2022 in Nigeria
• Search interest in the vertical environmental issues – which tracks search interest in search terms such as “”climate change””, “”pollution”” and “”global warming”” – has reached an all-time high in April 2022. “
• Search interest in Privacy went up by +30% in Nigeria in H1 2022 vs H12021 whilst search interest for Phishing increased by +40%. Search term “phishing website” more than doubled (+100%) while “phishing meaning” increased by 80%. “phishing attack” rose by +50% and “what is phishing” went up by +40%
• Private browsing went up by 60% in Nigeria in H1 2022 vs H1 2021. Search interest in the topic has reached its highest point of the past 9 years in July 2022
• Searches for privacy in general went up by 30% in H1 2022 vs H1 2021; selected terms related to privacy which also went up: “privacy policy generator” +130% and “privacy policy” rose by 40%.
• Search interest in Money peaked in July in Nigeria.
• “how to make money” is one of the top searched “how to” questions in the country so far in 2022. “how to save” went up by 20% in H1 2022 vs H1 2021
• Search interest in “how to start a business” has dropped in Nigeria this year